Microsoft Desktop Virtualization technologies such as MED-V, Windows XP Mode for Windows 7, App-V, Remote Desktop Services, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), Windows Server 2008 R2 environments, and Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 as well as the latest Hyper-V in the current Windows Server 2012 release can do a lot of wonders!
Administrators working with desktop virtualization technologies such as Windows Virtual PC, MED-V, Windows XP Mode for Windows 7, App-V, Remote Desktop Services, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), Windows Server 2008 R2 and Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2, System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2, Windows PowerShell 2.0, and System Center Configuration Manager 2012 can certainly benefit considerably, and this happens to be not only technically feasible, but operationally feasible and most importantly, Microsoft makes it financially feasible for many Virtualization customers, be it from SMB (Small Medium Business-es) to Large Enterprises.
Administrators can install Microsoft Desktop Virtualization on various platforms (32-bit, 64-bit), creating and managing virtual hard disks, configuring virtual machine resources including network resources, preparing host machines and support various application thereon. Microsoft Desktop Virtualization allows administrators to:
- Enable Windows XP Mode for Windows 7; publish applications to a host OS through Windows XP Mode; configure the BIOS to support hardware virtualization; create, deploy, and maintain Windows XP Mode images and many more.
- Manage workspaces, create policies, publish applications and menus, configure reporting, customize user and device settings in a virtual machines.
- Create or prepare images for deployment (using various tools), deploying a workspace image by using a Web page, as well as pre-staging images.
- Configure application sharing, package applications for deployment by using RemoteApp, install and configure the RD Session Host Role Service on the server.
- Configuring Remote Desktop Web Access, configure internal and external application access, configure role-based application provisioning, configure Remote Desktop client connections
- Sequence applications, install and configure the sequencer, prepare applications for deployment in different environments, configure virtual application interaction and sharing, choose a method to deploy virtual applications
- Enable and monitor offline application usage, enable and monitor real-time sessions, manage application cache, configure branch cache functionality
- Work with Virtual Machine Manager Self-Service Portal (SSP) to log in to, control, restart, or resume a desktop virtual machine, work with Remote Desktop Manager, work with Remote Desktop Licensing Manager, troubleshoot client Key Management Server (KMS) issues, configure firewall exceptions on the client.
Related resources
Hyper-V labs in here http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/hh968267.aspx.
System Center 2012 labs in here http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/hh913622.aspx.
More self-guided learning resources are here https://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com/
To download a Windows Server 2012 Evaluation, go to http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/hh670538.aspx
To download System Center 2012 SP1 Beta, goto http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=34607
Addtional resources
- Build a Microsoft private cloud using free trial software
- Review licensing and purchasing options
- Watch the Jump Start "Creating and Managing a Private Cloud on System Center 2012"
- Learn more about Microsoft’s private cloud strategy
- Review your options for training on the cloud
- Try Microsoft private cloud
- Try System Center 2012 software
Ken Sim, MCT, Technical Evangelist, Microsoft Corporation - SEA